


Working Together II: Involved

by Viridian5



Series: Working Together [2]
Category: Once a Thief (TV)
Genre: Drama, Episode Related, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-01-05
Updated: 1999-01-05
Packaged: 2017-10-02 07:26:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viridian5/pseuds/Viridian5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mac wants to hash things out.  Victor doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Working Together II: Involved

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for "The Last Temptation of Vic."
> 
> Inspired by an _Once a Thief_ mini-marathon and discussion with Te and Dawn Sharon as well as Te's "Music." Beta by Te with a little further fine-tuning by Alicia.

Victor Mansfield sat on his couch and nursed another beer, utterly unable to come up with a way he could feel worse. Then the doorbell rang. //Let me guess: God figured out a way.// He opened the door to see Mac's smart-ass grin. //Shoot me now.//

Mac pushed past Vic to let himself in. "I figured you'd be here, wallowing in your mortification, so I decided to--"

"Rub my nose in it?"

"Maybe that too, but mostly to cheer you up," Mac answered lightly. The other man certainly looked like he could use it. Mac had known that recent events--what had happened during their hours stuck in that room together and then that humiliating assignment--would leave the ex-cop off-balance and embarrassed. Add "tired" and "maudlin near-drunk" to that, and even Vic's usually pretty self obviously suffered. //Of course, I intend to cheer him up by cheering _me_ up...//

"That's easy. Leave."

"After everything we've shared?"

"I want you to know that all the sex we had in that room could be covered by either or both of these terms: 'desperation' and 'temporary insanity.'" //_Please_ believe me.//

"I liked it. I know you liked it. So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that I'm not the fuck-buddy type. I get emotionally involved with the people I have sex with. In fact, most times I get involved first and _then_ have sex, though that may be a foreign idea to you."

"And the problem is...?"

"I already share an emotional connection with you, mutual dislike, and I'm already doing most of the work there. I don't want to get in any deeper."

Time for a diversionary tactic. "I was right about your belly though."

"I don't have a belly!"

Mac smirked. //So predictable. Cute, though...// "You're thinking 'gut,' and you're right about not having that. You do have a cute little belly though, just a slight rounding. All the people at the club were cooing over it and you--"

Victor closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Having to wear nothing more than a thong was bad. I felt like a piece of meat. Having to wear a collar and leash to show Li Ann's ownership of us was worse. But the absolute worst was having to mud-wrestle you in front of an audience--"

"While sporting wood? I was flattered. Hell, I wanted to pin you in some non-regulation ways myself." //Still do.//

"You have no shame."

"And I'm not in the least ashamed about that." Mac opened the fridge and helped himself to a beer.

"Sure, make yourself at home," Victor said with a resigned sigh as he sat back down on the couch.

"Don't mind if I do." Mac settled down next to him and grinned at the way Vic sat with his knees pulled up toward his chest, like a virgin trying to give off I'm-inaccessible vibes. Or maybe he was just trying to pull into a fetal position from stress. "If it makes you feel better, you can blame your attraction to me--"

"I'm not attracted to you!"

"--on the job. I mean, we work odd hours at an agency we're not even allowed to tell anyone exists. If you went into a bar and tried to pick someone up saying that you're an agent for a super-secret crime-fighting organization, you'd get laughed out of there."

"You tried that, hunh?"

"I didn't say it that way, but yeah, and not only did I get laughed at, but the Director took me aside and.... Well, let's just say that if she ever tells you to go into a room alone with her, refuse and run like hell. Sure, she'll have Dobrinsky or some of her other people drag you in, but at least you won't feel that you walked into it like an idiot."

Victor decided not to take advantage of that invitation to insult or, worse, just look at Mac. Maybe then the younger man would get bored and go away. "I'll keep that in mind."

"So we can't tell anyone what we do or explain our odd hours. That's hard on any relationship, friend or lover. I know you're lonely." Mac grinned when Vic flipped him off. "I couldn't figure out at first why you--the former cop, Mr. Clean, psycho boy scout--cuddled right up to the mob. Then I realized that you were starving for friendship, for people who were loyal to you for more reasons than just because the Director threatened them. It's--"

Victor took a deep chug of his beer. "Pathetic?" //Like I need anyone to tell me that.//

"That too, but understandable. I know how it feels. I mean, when I was with the Tangs, it was hardly the perfect family situation, but I was never alone. Now I don't have anybody either, and I want somebody."

Victor moved further away until he reached the arm of the couch. "Which makes us both pathetic. That's a really stupid reason to get involved with someone."

"Who else knows what it's like to be us? Li Ann's been distant to both of us lately..."

"So this is really about Li Ann."

"No! I'm just saying we don't have too many people. I'm not saying we stop bickering with one another--I really enjoy that--but maybe we could at least be friends? If some recreational side activities can come with that, even better, who does it hurt?"

Victor tried to let the alcohol take him to a place of total numbness. "Mac, the problem I have with you... Okay, _one_ of the problems I have with you is that when you give me a heartrending confession like that I have to wonder if it's for real or if you're trying to manipulate my famously soft heart."

Mac swallowed his hurt. It had taken a lot for him to say that. //Okay, maybe that is the kind of thing I do... _sometimes_, but...// Then he took a good look at Victor. The older man looked sad and bone-weary as well as melancholy-drunk. //We're both in the Director's steel-toothed trap and each gnawing a leg off trying to get free.

//Everybody has betrayed him. He probably thinks I'll hurt him too.//

"I trust you," Mac said. Of course; Victor was one of those people strangers would trust with their children and cameras. Instead of using it to his advantage, the ex-cop seemed to see it as a kind of honor, something he should work hard to protect. After first finding that rather stupid, Mac had come around to liking that about Vic. //And it's something I can take advantage of, too.//

"What?"

"I just said that I trust you."

Victor sighed. "You figured I'd be drunk, so you came over to mess with my head, didn't you?"

"What I'm trying to say is: you can trust me, too."

"Really."

"I swear."

Victor seemed to be fading out. "Sure."

Mac gently pushed Victor down on the couch and lavished light kisses on his face. He was gratified to see Vic sigh and give himself up to it, even nuzzling back a little. Mac draped himself on the other man //Only fair with all the times he pinned me and kicked my ass in the ring; wrestling is _not_ my thing. Besides, I'm lighter.// and settled himself contentedly into the hollows he found. //Like two puzzle pieces.//

"Trust me," Mac said.

"Okay, you win. For now. This is nice," Vic answered blurrily.

"I'm glad," Mac answered, but Victor was already gone. //I think I made some progress, though the morning should be interesting...// Mac smiled at the thought of sparring to come and drifted into sleep, feeling protected by the solid warmth beneath him.

### End


End file.
